Water closet seat support



Much 1, 193s.4 C. D. QE 2,109,829

WATER CLOSET SEAT SUPPORT Filed Oct. 28, 1956 fly/121,1!

l INVENTOR. CHL/5B 2 ROE ATTORNEY Patented Mar. l, 1938 UNITED STATESFries ATEN'El 5 Claims.

The invention relates to a means for resiliently supporting'the frontend of a water closet seat from the underlying watercloset bowl, theseat being supported at its rear end by a hinge means.

An object ofthe invention is to provide a support member at the front ofa hinged water Y closet seat such that a dropping of the seat upon thebowl may not produce a shock which is damaging to the seat or the bowl,or produce an undue noise. Y

Another object of the invention is to provide a seat supporting memberwhich provides different degrees of resilient support when the seat isunoccupied and occupied.

A further object of the invention is to provide a seat supporting memberof the class described which permits only .a limited and substantiallyfixed degree of depression of the seat beneath the weight of an occupantthereof or the application of external pressure thereto.

The invention possesses other objects and features of advantage, some ofwhich, with the foregoing, will be set forth or be apparent in thefollowing descriptionof typical embodiments thereof, and in theaccompanying drawing in which,

Figure 1 is an underneath plan View of an element embodying the featuresof present invention.

Figure 2 is an axial section taken through the element of Figure 2 whilesaid element is mounted on and beneath a closet seat to support solelythe seat from the rim of a closet bowl.

Figure 3 is a section corresponding to that of Figure 2 and showing theform of the element when the seat is depressed to its permitted limit,as under the weight of a person thereon.

Figures 4 and 5 and 6 are views of another Vform of support memberembodying the present invention, the Views corresponding to those ofFigures 1 and 2 and 3 respectively.

Figures 7 and 8 and 9 are views of an additional form of memberembodying the present invention, the views corresponding to those ofFigures `1 and 2 and 3 respectively.

Figures 10 and 11 and 12 are Views of still another form of supportmember embodying the present invention, the views corresponding to thoseof Figures 1 and 2 and 3 respectively.

Figure 13 is a fragmentary View at a reduced scale showing theapplication of the Support element of Figures 1 to 3 to the seat of awater closet.

Figure 13 illustrates a usual water closet structure-in which a watercloset seat I4 is hingedly secured at its rear end by means of a usualtype of hinge structure l5 mounted on a water closet bowl i5 having atoprim il. A usual flush tank I8 is provided for supplying charges offlushing water to the bowl i. A reservoir I9 is provided 5 adjacent thetank i8 for containing a supply of a iiquid disinfectant and/ordeodorantand/or fumigant for deliveryof charges thereof within the bowlfollowing, or during the use of, the watercloset. A trigger member 28extends from a 10 suitable valve means associated with the reservoir l9`for actuation to release a charge of liquid from the reservoir I9 fordischargeinto the bowl through a pipe or tube 2l, and said triggerextends forwardly to an engagement with the seat l@ for operation by theseat each time the seat is lowered from the normal position thereof inwhich' a member embodying the present invention supports it overV thebowl in the relation illustrated, a lowering of the seat to actuate thetrigger being effected by a lowering of the seat to a more or lesspredetermined degree. It will now be noted that differently formedsupport members 22, 32, 42 and 52 are respectively illustrated inFigures 1 to 3, 4 to 6, 7 `to 9, and 10 to 12, and that any one or-moreof said members may be engaged between the bowl rim ll and the underside of the seat lll as a support means for the seat. Since water closetbowls are usually of ceramic ware and water'closet seats are usually ofwood or metal or a molded composition, the members 22 or 32 or 42 or 52'would usually be secured to the seat as is particularly illustrated forthe various members. v

For purposes of illustration, one member 22 is shown in Figures 1 and 2and 3 and 13 as being mounted on the seat i4, while one each of theforms 32 and #l2 and 52 are shown as if mounted on the same vseat I4 inthe Figuresv 5` and 6, 40 8 and 9, and 11 and 12, respectively. It willbe understood that two or more of the support members might becooperatively used at a water closet'seat, if desired or required.

Referring now to the structure of the member 22, the same is seen tocomprise an annular baseY portion 23 for seating against a flat surfacesuch as the under face of the seat M, and a generally conical hollowextension 24 protrudes from and *50 beyond the outer end of the baseportion 23 as a closure for that end of thebase. The portions 23 and 2dare preferably integrally related to provide the unitary member 22, andsaid member is preferably formed of a Vhomogeneous material. 55

such as a resilient and fairly hard rubber composition.

The conical extension element 24 has a relatively thin wall and isotherwise so constituted that it resiliently resists the deformationwhich is urged upon it as it is pressed against an opposing surface suchas that of the bowl rim II, and will resume its normal form when itsupports only the weight of the seat. Under the weight of a person onthe seat, or an equivalent pressure against the seat, the extensionelement 24 is arranged to be deformed for complete disposal within thehollow of the base 23 in the general manner shown in Figure 3. When theyielding element 24 is completely displaced, the outer face 25 of thebase element 23 is arranged to serve as a resilient and positive stopfor limiting the movement of the seat toward the rim; to the latter end,the base is relatively thick radially of its circle. The member 22 maybe suitably fixed to the seat I4; as shown, the rim 23 of the member isaxially perforated to receive screws 29 therethrough and with theirheads countersunk therein for the purpose. The side of the extension 24may be provided with an air passage 28 to facilitate its deformationunder pressure.

'I'he member 32 is seen to be generally frustoconical, and has an innerdisc-shaped base portion 33 and a flaring skirt-like portion 34 at itsouter end extending from the periphery of the base 33, the small end ofthe member being engaged against the under face of a seat I4. Theelement 34 is stiff enough to normally support the seat I4 in spacedrelation from the base element 33, and a persons weight on the seat isarranged to cause a deformation of the element 34 to flatten it outagainst the bowl rim Il in the general manner shown in Figure 6 anduntil the outer face 35 of the base 33 directly engages the rim. Ifdesired, the free edge of the element 34 may be provided with one ormore notches 38 to permit the escape of air from within the member 32 asthe element is ilattened out f by a depression of the seat. A mountingscrew 39 is engaged axially through the base 33 with its headcountersunk in the base to permit the engagement of the bearing face 35of the base element with a bowl rim I'I.

In the embodiment of Figures 7 to 9, the member 42 comprises an annularbase element 43 and a compressible and resilient element 44 extendingcentrally within the cavity of the base portion and normally protrudingbeyond the plane of the bearing face 45 of the base 43. The element 44is normally form-retaining and may comprise a hollow rubber body or beformed of sponge rubber, the latter being indicated in Figures 8 and 9.In the present instance, the element 44 is spindle shaped and is coaxialwith the base 43 whereby its opposite ends are arranged tosimultaneously and directly bear against the opposed seat and rim faces.For securing the element 44 in its appointed position, the element isshown as provided with an equatorial flange 46 which is suitably securedto the base element 43 at the outer end of its bore whereby the elementand flange assembly may be entirely forced within the base cavity whenthe seat is pressed down to engage the base bearing face 45 directlywith the bowl rim II. Preferably, and as shown, the flange 46 isintegrally attached to the base 4,3; the latter may be accomplished byvulcanizing when the compositions of the parts are rubber, lt beingnoted that the composition of the base might be less yielding underpressure than that of the element 44. Screws 49 may extend through thebase element 43 for mounting the member 42, the screw heads beingpreferably countersunk in the base. Since the structure compressedwithin the cavity of the base 43 when the element 43 engages the bowlrim Il does not fully occupy said cavity, the venting of the latter maybe omitted.

The member 52 is seen to be rectangular in outline and comprises a baseportion 53 recessed from its outer side and mounting compressible anddeformable projections 54 which normally extend beyond the plane of thebearing face 55 provided by a rim part 56 of the base which cooperateswith a flat inner base plate 51 to define the sides and bottom of arecess in the member 52. The projections 44 are generally cylindricaland extend transversely from the base part 4l to which they are secured;these elements may be of sponge rubber and are Vulcanized or otherwisesecured in fixed integral relation thereto. The material of the baseelement 53 would usually be less yielding than that of the projections44. When the bearing face 55 of the rim 55 engages a bowl rim I l, theprojections 44 are longitudinally attened out and otherwise deformedwhereby they then lie fully within the cavity of the base 53 whileengaging the bowl rim to resist their deformation. The rim 46 may benotched out and perforated to receive mounting screws therethrough incountersunk relation to it.

It will now be noted that all of the members 22 and 32 and 42 and 52provide normally elements 24 and 34 and 44 and 54 which are deformableunder pressure and against an inherent structural resiliency which tendsto maintain them in normal form. The degree of permitted deformation ofsaid elements under pressure thereagainst is limited by the operationsof the respective base portions 23 and 33 and 43 and 53 to engage anopposed surface from which the element is normally held spaced by therespective deformable element which it carries; this operation of thebase elements as stops is understood to positively protect thedeformable elements from a destructive deformation and/or compressionthereof. Since the base portions of the various members are ofnon-metallic and yielding material, their contact with a porcelain orenamel or wood surface may not mar the same. Also, a seat so supportedwill be generally more comfortable to sit upon, and will make little, ifany, noise, if dropped into place on the deformable elements of themembers.

The described action of the basesof the various support members tooperate as stops to denitely limit the depression of a seat or otherobject which is normally supported by and from an underlying supportmember by the combined functioning of the relatively deformable andundefermable elements of the members is of further value when a definitedegree of seat depression movement is desired. Thus, in the arrangementparticularly illustrated in Figure 13, the trigger member 20 wouldusually require a definite displacement movement for its functioning,and this may readily be provided by the use of the described supportmembers, either by the appropriate proportioning of the support membersand/or by appropriately spacing the member used from the axis of hingingof the seat.

While I have herein and herewith particularly indicated the controlledand resilient support of a 'water closet seat which is operative uponits displacement to release a charge of disinfectant or other liquid, itis noted that the movements of water closet seats to actuate aircirculating blowers or cause the discharge of water from flush tanks areold and well known expedients in the water closet art; accordingly, anexpress or implied limitation to the specifically disclosed applicationof the present support members to closet seats which control theactuation of some supplementarydevice is not intended. Also, it will bereadily understood that a plurality of the support members may beinstalled on a watercloset seat, or on an underlying fixed support forthe same, for providing the required support which permits a limiteddepression of the seat as the result of external pressure thereon.

From the foregoing description taken in connection with the accompanyingdrawing, the advantages of the construction and method of use will bereadily understood by those skilled in the art to which the inventionappertains. have described the features and principles of operation ofstructures which I now consider to be preferred embodiments of myinvention, I desire to have it understood that the showing is primarilyillustrative, and that such changes may be madefwhen desired, as fallWithin the scope of the following claims.

I claim:

l. In combination, a closet bowl, a closet seat hingedly fixed to saidcloset bowl at the-rear thereof and overlying the bowl, and a unitarymember engaged between the seat and bowl at the front thereof to supportthe seat for a limited degree of depression thereof, said membercomprising a deformable and relatively yielding element and a relativelyunyielding element arranged to jointly support the seat from the bowlthereat, said yielding element being deformable and displaceable whenthe pressure exerted on the member by the seat exceeds that of theweight of the seat so that the unyielding element is arranged todirectly engage the seat as a stop to limit the depression of the seat.

2. In combination, a closet bowl, a closet Yseat seat as to permitV thedirect engagement of the While IV unyielding element of the memberdirectly with the seat and bowl as a stop to limit the movement of theseat toward the bowl. Y

3. In combination, a closet bowl, a closet seat hngedly fixed to saidcloset bowl at the rear thereof and overlying the bowl, a unitary membermounted on the seat at the front thereof to normally support the seatfrom the bowl for a limited degree of depression of the seat about itsaxis of hinging, and an actuator member engaged by said seat fordisplacement when the seat is depressed to the permitted degreetherefor, said support member comprising a relatively unyielding baseelement providing a bearing surface and a relatively yielding elementnormally extending beyond said bearing surface in engagement with thebowl, said yielding element being deformable under pressure on the seatto permit a direct engagement of said bearing surface of the baseelement with the bowl for limting the degree of depression of the seatto that required for actuating the seat-controlled actuator member.

4. In combination, a closet bowl, a closet seat disposed above the bowl,and a unitary member engaged between the seat and bowl for supportingthe seat from the bowl for permitting only the same predetermined andlimited degree of depression of the seat thereat under different loadson the seat, said member comprising a relatively unyielding base elementproviding planar and generally parallel bearing faces and a relativelyyielding element normallyextending beyond a bearing face of the baseelement whereby the bowl and seat are normally engaged by the differentsaid elements, said yielding element being deformable and displaceableunder pressure on the seat to dispose it entirely between the planes ofthe bearing faces of the base element whereby the latter element isoperative as a stop with respect to the depression of the seat.

5. In combination, a closet bowl, a closet seat disposed above the bowl,and a unitary member engaged between the seat and bowl for supportingthe seat from the bowl for a limited depression of the seat thereat,said member comprising a relatively unyielding base element having aninterior cavity dened within a peripheral wall providing mutuallyparallel planar bearing faces at the wall ends, and a relativelyyielding element normally extending beyond a said bearing surface toengage the seatl or bowl and disposed centrally of the member, saidyielding element being deformable under pressure on the seat to depressthe latter for disposition entirely in the cavity of the base elementfor permitting the direct engagement of the bearing faces of the baseelement with the seat and bowl.

CALEB D. ROE.

